Research Experience

A Design Strategy for Type-I Photosensitizers Involving Hydrogen Atom Transfer (HAT)

Advisor: Prof. Qing-Zheng Yang 

Department of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University  

  • A HAT-involved Type-I photosensitizer was synthesized which simultaneously generates superoxide and carbon-centered radicals under light irradiation
  • The synthesized photosensitizer efficiently oxidizes NADH via deprotonation, exhibiting significant cell photocytotoxicity even under hypoxic conditions
  • This work may inspire the development of novel Type-I photosensitizers employing the HAT mechanism. The manuscript has been accepted by Angewandte Chemie.

Photoinduced Charge Transfer in Mechanically Interlocked Structures of Pillar[5]arenes

Advisor: Prof. Qing-Zheng Yang 

Department of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University  

  • Synthesis of rotaxane compounds using pillar[5]arene as the host and amino-terminated aliphatic chain BODIPY as the guest
  • The mechanically interlocked structure was confirmed through crystal structure analysis, and PET process will be investigated using fs-TAS

Synthesis and Properties of Heavy-Atom-Free BODIPY Photosensitizers Based on a D-A Structure

Advisor: Prof. Qing-Zheng Yang and Prof. Jianguo Fang 

Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University

  • D-A molecules based on a BODIPY core were constructed to enhance the efficiency of ROS generation in photosensitizers by promoting photoinduced electron transfer (PET)
  • D-A molecules were assembled into nanoparticles using the surfactant F127, and the photosensitizer was able to generate O2−• via PET
  • This undergraduate thesis gave me a basic understanding of the photophysical and photochemical processes of organic molecules and was selected as an Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis

Labeling and Determination of Total Sulfhydryl Content in Protein

Advisor: Prof. Jianguo Fang and Assoc. Prof. Baoxin Zhang

State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Lanzhou University

  • This experiment utilizes the reaction between the Naph-EA-Mal probe and thiol groups to label bovine serum albumin (BSA) and achieve fluorescence imaging of living cells
  • The Naph-EA-Mal fluorescent probe enables in situ detection and fluorescent labeling of intracellular thiol groups, and this experimental method has been published in University Chemistry

Technical Skills

  • Chemistry: Organic Synthesis; Photophysical Properties Characterization and Analysis; SEM and DLS characterization of nanoparticles; Cyclic voltammetry measurement; ESR analysis of radical species; Growth and characterization of organic molecule crystals; Synthesis of linear polymers
  • Biology: Cell culture; Live cell imaging; Determining Cell Vitality; Detection of ROS oxidative stress in cells; Analysis of cell death pathway